Eternal Champions
by Dragonhulk
Summary: Xander and Willow have been fighting longer than anyone would have guessed. An alternate ending to Season 7.


Eternal Champions

Rating: FRT-13 maybe a mild FRM

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I still have fifty payments to Satan before I even own my self.

Summary: Xander and Willow have been fighting longer than anyone would have guessed. An alternate ending to Season 7.

Timeline: Right after 'Dirty Girls'.

Authors Note: This isn't a bash story! Admittedly Buffy isn't portrayed as well as she could be, but this is Xander centric so I don't feel too bad. Also this will not be my best work. I'm writing this fast and while tired, but it has been checked by someone else before posting. If this does somehow inspire you please go with it.

* * *

As Xander sat quietly in the back of the car he reviewed what had happened in the last twenty four hours. Faith had returned, they had fought another big bad, and - oh yeah - he had lost his eye.

Xander wasn't as upset as people though about loosing his eye he knew the risks involved in the life he lead. No, the thing that really upset him was how he lost it. He had known that it was a trap, heck anyone that had thought for more than a moment figured out that it was a trap, but he had walked in with out a plan. What was even worse is he convinced the Potentials to walk in with out a plan, and now two of them were dead. Two dead; all because he put too much faith in… her.

He couldn't blame Buffy, not really. After all rushing in head first had always worked in the past so why wouldn't she think it would work this time. No he blamed himself. He had almost always had a plan in the past. The time they defeated the mayor he had planed the attack and several escape routs in case they didn't win. They didn't fight ADAM until they knew exactly what to do and where to do it. Okay so there wasn't much of a plan with Glory but he had held back and took his shot when he saw it. He was thankful every day that he was able to bring Willow around with words, but if he couldn't he had a loaded gun to stop her. He always had a plan, except this time because he believed too strongly in his own words.

The only thing left to do was to move on and learn from their mistakes. If he just kept busy when he got to the house he could forget the images that come to him when his good eye is closed. Images of giants made of smoke and fire, of dragons, and so many different monsters he couldn't count them all. The strangest thing is that every time he saw a monster he also saw the weapon, it was a different shape every time but some how he knew it was the same weapon.

Xander was forced from his contemplative mood when he felt an arm on his shoulder. Looking up he saw that Willow was letting him know that they had arrived at the Summers home. Giving her a weak smile Xander made his way into the house, making a silent promise to himself never to let someone walk into another trap as long as he lived.

Xander wiped the dust off of his head. Today had been a close call. They had thought that they had finally gotten one up on the First when they had interrogated a bringer and it had told them about a secret arsenal. The others were cautious after the last time they had mounted an offensive and that was probably what saved their lives.

Xander didn't have Slayer hearing but the others were making so little noise that he was able to hear the soft click, like someone switching on a light. One week ago he probably would have chalked it up to his imagination but after meeting Caleb he had become paranoid, and he was quickly learning that paranoia is a good thing. Stopping and singling the others to stop he examined the area where he heard the noise. He found some broken string and a wire leading further down the tunnel. Both Xander and Faith believed that even if this wasn't a trap before the Bringers would be prepared for them now, a fact proven when they encountered five Bringers on the way out.

Now Buffy was back saying that she had a plan to win to stop the fighting, to draft countless girls into the darkness. Why does she want this and more importantly why does he feel so strongly against it and that glorified axe. Did he resent her for his loss or are his concerns valid?

"Let me see the 'axe' Buffy," said Xander on some kind of instinct.

Buffy glared at him and said, "It not an axe Xander it's a scythe. Why do you want with it anyway?"

Xander shrugged and decided to tell her the truth. "Just a hunch, don't worry I won't drop it."

Looking dubious Buffy handed him the weapon. Xander held it, examined it, and knew there was something wrong with it. It was something he knew, but he couldn't remember where he encountered it.

At that moment something was awoken in Xander and he began to squeeze the weapon as hard as he could. Soon cracks began to form on the weapon spreading around in a web covering almost every inch. Soon it shattered with Buffy screaming at him somewhere in the background.

"What did you do we needed that! You just killed us all, why did you do that!" Buffy's screams were silenced as Xander pointed to the ground and said "Look."

On the ground a black vile mass was emerging from the pieces of the weapon. Everyone in the room could feel its evil as it sunk into the floor boards and despaired.

"It wasn't a weapon for you Buffy, it was a Trojan horse. It was wrapped up in a nice package to get you to take it but it would have killed us all as soon as we relied on it. It was probably calling to you, affecting your judgment, making you less of the person you are. I don't know if the effects were permeate or not but I have a feeling it won't matter soon.

"Willow could you do a spell that would make everyone remember their past lives?"

"Um, sure Xander but why?"

"Just a hunch. If it doesn't pan out no big, we just find a way to destroy the dagger so no one can open the seal again."

* * *

When Willow finished the spell a mist began to escape her and invade everyone else. Soon Xander began to remember who he was as past lives flashed before his eyes.

"Well," said Xander from the floor where both he and Willow had collapsed, "that was informative."

"I'll say," said Willow while being helped up by Kennedy. "I don't think it hurt this much the last time we did this."

"Last time we did this was in a Tibetan monastery, not over an active Hellmouth. I'm sure that our old friend tried to mess it up when we tried it here."

"What are you two talking about?" exclaimed Buffy. "The spell didn't do anything."

"Correction Buffster the spell didn't do anything to you. This must be your first life, extremely rare for a Slayer. How about you Faith, any past lives you care to share?"

Faith was just smiling like she had been given the best present in the world. "Got five under my belt X. Last one was the best, got loving parents, a husband, and two little girls that loved me. Being able to remember kind of makes up for all the shit I've had to put up with in this one. How about you and Red, how many have you lived?"

"Too many to count Faith," said Xander in a musing tone. "You may have even heard of a few of them."

"Really witch ones?" asked a Potential.

"Well a few thousand years ago and way north of here I went by Thor and Willow went by Valkerie."

"No way, you two were Gods? I popped a reincarnated gods' cherry; cool."

"We weren't gods Faith," said Willow. "People just started worshipping us after telling our story for a few centuries. Well they worshipped Xander; they just made me a recruiter from the dead. It's understandable considering I was using a form of necromancy in that life."

"Then more recently and for you Brits there was Camelot."

"Are you saying that you are the reincarnation of King Arthur? Forgive me if I find that slightly hard to believe Xander," said Giles.

"Why is it so hard to believe Giles? I've always came form humble beginnings, even if they are forgotten over time. Even though I had Uthers' blood in my veins I wasn't even going to be trained as a knight until Willow took me away to train me to be King."

"So you are Thor and Arthur, I guess next you will tell us you are Jesus," scoffed Buffy.

"No," said Willow. "But we were in the area at the time. Even helped the angels fight off the demons while He was in the garden before He was crucified."

"Must have missed that part in Sunday school," said Faith but with belief in her eyes.

Xander just gave her a grin and said, "The New Testament is composed of letters from the Apostles. That means there were a lot of things that didn't get put into it. Besides think about it: He was taking on the sins of the world at the time, and was vulnerable. Every demon worth the name wanted him gone and the First Evil told them when his weakest moment would be."

"So just how close did you guys get?" asked Dawn.

"Close enough to know that Peter snores," answered Willow.

"Listen you guys its getting late so why don't you go to bed while me and Willow figure out how to beat the First this time around."

"What do you mean you and Willow! Xander I'm the Slayer, I'm the one that should be making the plans, or I should at least be involved in them."

Willow just sighed, "Buffy you have been under the influence of the First if not its direct control for a while now - maybe since I brought you back to life. Your judgment can't be trusted at the moment.

"Xander and I have the knowledge of countless lifetimes fighting the First. We were fighting before there were Slayers and chances are we will be fighting after the Slayer spirit goes on to her final reward. Trust us; we know what we are doing."

Buffy looked like she was about to object when she turned around and left the room, shortly followed by everyone else.

Later that night

Kennedy woke up as she felt someone crawl into bed next to her. Turning slightly she saw the flaming red hair of her lover.

"Hey, figure out how to beat the big scary First?"

"Yeah, you can come and watch if you want. Who knows you may get to kill a Bringer or two," replied Willow.

There was and uneasy silence before Kennedy said, "In all those past lives did you and Xander ever, you know."

"Have sex?" When Kennedy nodded Willow answered. "No; the closest we came was about twelve hundred years ago in Rome. We were alone and about to die, and we just wanted to feel something good. Even if we had then it wouldn't have meant anything. There would have been very little passion and the wrong kind of love."

"Wrong kind of love?"

"The kind of love that Xander and I share is like brother and sister. More accurately it's the kind of love you have for someone who you would trust with more than your life."

"Oh, I can understand that."

"Let's get some sleep sweetie, tomorrow is a big day." And without another word both drifted off to sleep.

Noon the next day

"Okay people remember as soon as you see the single get into the bus and get out of town as fast as you can. Not only are we going to destroy the Uber-Vampires but Willow will also be closing the Hellmouth. The last time we did this Atlantis sunk into the ocean, so the dangers are very real. Luckily this Hellmouth is smaller than that one so ten to fifteen miles outside the city should do it. Now are there any questions?" Looking around Xander spotted a grim faced Buffy.

"Yeah, I have a question. What happened to Spike? I couldn't find him when I woke up this morning."

"I dusted him at dawn," replied Xander.

"You bastard! He had a soul! He could have helped! Maybe that is why you killed him you didn't want to be showed up by a real hero," sneered Buffy before she through a punch at Xander. Xander easily caught the punch and then grabbed Buffy in a bear hug and preventing her from moving.

"Listen Buffy," Xander began "Spike didn't have a soul. He had a spell placed on him to make it appear he had a soul. The spell reflected the souls around him so that all that good and potential you saw in him was your potential. Don't waste it now." Buffy slumped in Xander's arm knowing the truth of his words, no matter how much she didn't want to believe him.

As soon as Xander knew he wasn't going to be attacked he let Buffy go and turned to Dawn. With a smile on his face he handed her a remote with a large red button.

"What is this for?" asked Dawn.

"Well Buffy, Willow and I got to blow it up last time when it was our High school. I figure its only fare that you get to blow it up this time since you had to go there."

"Aw, come on! You can't blow it up it just got rebuilt," complained Robin.

"Sorry man, only way to get sunlight over the seal so no Cave Vamps escape. Besides there is no way I was going to let Dawn miss out on every teenagers dream. Go for it Dawn Patrol."

With a look of pure joy Dawn pressed the button and was rewarded with a tower of fire coming from the centre of the school, exposing the seal. Soon smaller charges followed causing the rest of the school to collapse into its self. Soon one chunk from the explosion landed about four feet from Xander. To everyone's surprise it appeared to be a round shield that was giving off a pure white light.

Xander smiled as he calmly walked over and picked up the shield. "I was wondering when you would turn up," said Xander. "Everyone take a look at Excalibur, or The Spear of Light, Dagger of Truth, or even Millie depending on what life you pick. I can never tell what form it will take but it has been with me in almost every life."

"What is it called this time," asked an overly eager Andrew.

"Don't know what it's called this time. The only time I named it was during World War II, every other time some writer or bard named it. Even when I named it, it felt wrong somehow, like I was naming my hand or something."

"Cool, how about the Shield of Truth. That's a cool name isn't it?"

Xander simply shrugged and said "It's as good a name as any" before walking toward the wreckage with Willow.

"Don't be too hard on him," said Willow. "Andrew thought you were hot stuff as plain old Xander. Now he finds out you were all these people from legend he can't help but get a little excited."

"A little excited? Seems that we past that and we are currently at permanent sugar high."

"Oh hush. You may be able to fool the others but I know you consider him a little brother."

"Well he does remind me of Brian. Of course Brian was five when I got drafted so it's not really a good thing."

Willow smiled and gave him a playful slap on the shoulder before they reached the seal. "I didn't notice before but this looks like Kenayas' work," said Willow as she inspected the seal with new eyes.

"Who?"

"Kenaya, a student of mine before I met you during the First Slayers time."

"Oh, any idea how to get in without killing someone?"

"I can completely deactivate the seal but I would need a few minutes before I could start to fight and close the Hellmouth."

"Do it. It's only a few thousand Cave Vamps, I can hold them off until you catch your breath."

Taking a deep breath Willow muttered a short spell. Soon the seal begin to erode and age, as if time was finally catching up with it. The others watched in awe as the seal crumbled to dust. From the dust a spirit arose, finally free of its burden of keeping the creatures contained. After saying its thanks it went on to it long deserved rest.

Upon entering the cave Xander immediately threw out his shield like Captain America, decapitating a hundred vamps before it returned to him.

"Now that I have your attention, who wants to go next," Xander bellowed his challenge to the remaining creatures of darkness.

The fight was short as Willow soon added her magic to the fight. Every now and then a Cave Vamp would get past them only to burn up before it found shade. As Xander decapitated the last one Willow sent out a flash of white energy signaling that the Hellmouth was about to close.

"So does this spell need you to stay here too Willow?" asked Xander as he settled down next to his friend.

"It's the same spell I used in Atlantis so yeah, I need to stay and power the spell. You can go though," said Willow as she watched cracks form in the cavern.

"Like I told you last time, I'm not leaving without you. We are a team, you fall, and I fall right with you."

There was a short bit of silence as they watched the cave crumble around them. Right before they were crushed by a bolder Willow muttered, "I wonder what the next life will be like."

The End

I know it's a crappy ending but I wanted to leave some room for a sequel. Chances are I won't write one but if another author feels like doing so go for it.


End file.
